Naughty Karma kc-7 Read online

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The Perils of Lying to an Oracle

  “Now, about my power...”

  The maenad laughed, a girlish ripple of flirtation and heat. “Aren’t we greedy, my pet?” The devil stopped laughing abruptly when he conjured a medallion into his hand. Her eyes gleamed with avarice. “Now, where did you get that?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Not really.” She shook her head, laughing again. “Clever Prometheus. He always knows how to get what he wants, doesn’t he? But what if I don’t want your pretty medallion? What would you give me in order to keep your power then?”

  “I have other relics. What is it you want? Name it.”

  “I told you already.” The devil turned her head and he followed her gaze.

  Karma stood frozen, mouth open as if in mid-shout as Prometheus and Deuma bartered in a moment stolen out of time. Rodriguez lay on the ground nearby, unconscious and bleeding from the head. Across the room, Brittany sprawled in an unnatural position at the base of a wall. But it was Karma he saw.

  “She’s worth three of you,” Deuma purred. “Give her to me and you can keep your powers.”

  He hesitated for only a moment. “It would have to be all of them. Forever. No more deadlines and renegotiations.”

  “Oh, I love a man who barters.” Deuma giggled. “Are you sure you don’t want to come work for me? No? Fine, then. For that I’ll take the medallion too.”

  “Done.” The word echoed like a gong, harsh with the finality of a deal struck.

  Karma lurched upright in bed, a hard gasp shredding her throat. He’d sold her. He’d sold her just so he could keep his power. She flicked on the lamp, needing the comfort of light, the protection of it.

  “Karma?” a dark voice asked groggily. “What did you see?”

  Prometheus reached for her and she shied away from his hand, dragging the sheet with her to cover her nakedness. “You bastard.”

  His sleepy gaze sharpened and shuttered. “I take it you saw me.”

  “You gave me to her. You sold me to Deuma in exchange for your power.”

  Eyes narrowed, he sat up in the bed. “And Ciara drowned and Brittany was killed in a car accident. None of it happened. Not all of your visions come true.” But his voice was too harsh, too defensive. God, he would really do it.

  “The intent was there.” Clothes. She needed clothes. She struggled out of the bed, dragging the sheet with her and backing toward the closet. “Ciara didn’t want to drown, Brittany didn’t want to crash her car, but you wanted to trade me for your power. Not your life. Your precious, fucking power.”

  “This is ridiculous.” He flung back the covers and stalked after her, naked and not giving a shit about it. “I couldn’t trade you to Deuma if I wanted to. I don’t own you.”

  “That didn’t seem to make a difference.” She slammed the door to the closet, tugging on underwear, slacks and a stretchy knit top in record time. She’d wanted distance, but as soon as the door shut between them she wanted to yank it open again, the better to scream at him. He did not get to slink off without talking to her about this.

  Dressed, she flung open the door and he was standing there, his arms braced on either side of the jamb, waiting for her. He’d pulled on his jeans, but hadn’t bothered with a shirt. “It was a dream.”

  Karma shoved past him, ducking under his arm. “She said you already knew what you could give her to keep your power.” She spun to face him, arms akimbo. “Was that a dream too?”

  He groaned and rubbed a hand down his face. “She said something about you that made me think she would be interested in a trade, but I haven’t done anything about it.”

  “No? You haven’t told me about it either. Don’t you think I have the right to know if a demonspawn bitch wants my soul?”

  “I’m not sure it was your soul she was after. She seemed mostly concerned with your natural power. Whoever your father was, he left quite a calling card.”

  “Don’t you dare try to change the subject.”

  “I’m not changing shit. You’re the one who is so fucking scared to look at who you really are that you’d rather bottle up your God-given talents and make yourself crazy than learn how to put them to some use.”

  “So that makes it okay to sell me to the highest bidder?”

  “You don’t want your power anyway!”

  “That doesn’t give you the right to give it away!”

  “I didn’t! Goddamn it, Karma, I may have done a lot of shady shit in my life, but I refuse to be tried and hanged for something I didn’t even do. It was a fucking dream.”

  “They aren’t just dreams and you know it.”

  “Yeah, well, they aren’t fucking infallible either. Maybe you didn’t hear what you thought you heard.”

  “I heard plenty.” And it had rocked her to her foundation. She’d trusted him. She hadn’t realized exactly how much until that word, that deal, had shattered it all, leaving shards of broken trust lodged in her veins. What more had he been keeping from her? Who was he, really?

  “I think you heard what you wanted to hear.”

  “Oh, so it’s my fault? Can you honestly tell me that you would never make that deal? That you wouldn’t even consider it?”

  He hesitated. The bastard actually hesitated.

  “Oh fuck you.” Suddenly the charm he’d made her seemed to burn against her skin. She couldn’t get it off fast enough. The thong tangled in her hair.

  “Karma…I wouldn’t leave you with her. If I was powerless, I wouldn’t be able to come for you—”

  “Shut up.” She threw the charm and it hit him in the chest—which was a shame since she’d been aiming for his face. How could she have been so stupid? “What was on that? Some kind of gullibility mojo?”

  “No. The charm is clean—just a few extra focus and protection wards.”

  There was enough hesitation in the denial to make her snarl, “Oh God, what?”

  He grimaced. “The vodka.”

  “You spiked the vodka. Of course you did. Because getting me drunk wasn’t good enough.”

  “I only added a few little spells to make you relax and trust me. And I drank it too. I made myself just as vulnerable as you were.”

  She really had been a prize idiot. He’d been playing her from the word go and she’d known that, but she’d let herself forget it. She’d been totally sucked in. She’d started to actually care for him and the entire time he’d been conning her, stringing her along in an attempt to keep his superhuman powers. She’d been so sure they were more than that, but he hadn’t changed at all.

  She’d actually started to think she was falling in love with him. Last night she’d almost said the words without even meaning to. But all along she’d been falling for a man who’d only ever cared about himself. And she’d known that. She’d been so acutely conscious of his faults. But he’d been so honest about who he was; somehow his sincerity about being a liar had allowed him to slip right past her defenses and into her heart—where the bastard had no business being.

  “Karma.”

  His voice was soft, but she clung to her anger, because if she let it go, she knew the tears would come and Karma Cox didn’t cry. “Take your heart,” she snapped.

  “Karma, we can talk about this. Don’t be rash—”

  “I thought you liked rash.” He opened his mouth and she held up a hand to stop him. “Never mind. I don’t want to hear another word from you. I’m not reneging on our deal. Though it would serve you right if I did.” Still, she found she couldn’t—and not because of the binding he’d placed on her that first night at his shop. She didn’t want him dead. Even though she probably ought to be ready to dance on his grave, her stomach still roiled at the thought of anything happening to the asshole. “Rodriguez will summon this devil bitch and I will be on hand to make sure you don’t try to hijack my exorcist’s soul, but beyond that, we’re done. Carry your heart upstairs and wait up there. I can’t look at
you right now.”

  She half-expected pleading, but his expression closed down tight, anger and something darker and much more sinister taking up residence in his eyes. “Fine. We were about done anyway, weren’t we?”

  Her heart stuttered. He wasn’t talking about the argument or their deal. It was them, the idea of any sort of a relationship between them. We were about done anyway…

  He grabbed the crate without another word and disappeared up the elevator, taking his heart and leaving her alone in the suddenly echoingly empty expanse of her apartment.

  She slumped against the couch, pressing a fist to her abdomen. Why did it burn like this? Why was it so hard to think past the massive sense of betrayal hazing her thoughts? What had changed really? She’d known they wouldn’t last. So why did hearing him say it feel like swallowing acid?

  Karma closed her eyes and went through her mental exercises, needing them for the first time in a week. When she had her center again, she straightened and smoothed her clothing. It would all be over in a few hours. If she could get through this, she wouldn’t look back.

  Her early-warning instincts twitched—Rodriguez would be here in a few minutes. Not long now.

  She was Unshakable Karma. It would take more than one unethical warlock to break her. Head held high, she strode to the elevator. Business as usual. Nothing more. And when business was over, she could let that hollow ache in her gut expand to consume her if she wanted, but not now. Now she was the ice queen again and nothing could touch her. Not even him.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Ice Melt

  Prometheus was no stranger to fucking up, but usually when he fucked up this royally he’d actually done something.

  Though he wasn’t entirely blameless. He hadn’t exactly been forthcoming with Karma and he had entertained the thought, more than once, of trading her unwanted abilities for his own—though never quite so coarsely as simply selling her to Deuma and never without her consent. Had she really seen a likely future? Or were her subconscious doubts about him directing her toward highly unlikely variants that painted him in an ugly light?

  Either way he probably hadn’t helped the situation by keeping her ignorant of his own plans. He wasn’t even sure why he’d lied—if they were classifying omissions as lies, which Karma certainly did. He’d kept waiting for the right moment to tell her about his master plan to have it all, waiting for her to be invested enough, to care enough. Waiting for some sign that she would never turn on him as she had this morning.

  So much for that.

  Neither of them seemed inclined to succumb to trusting the other—which worked just fucking fine since trust wasn’t required in today’s summoning. And after the summoning… Well, he’d known they were done. He just hadn’t expected it to end quite like that. He’d never really given any thought to how it would end, actually. He wasn’t much for looking into the future. That was more Karma’s terrain, and if knowing the future was going to make him as miserable as she was, he’d pass, thank you very much.

  The elevator doors shushed open and the Karma who stepped out of the lift was every inch the rigid ice queen he’d first met. Every hair in place. The stick up her ass firmly in position. Ms. Holier-Than-Thou Professionalism was back.

  “Rodriguez will be here any minute.” She looked at him, her eyes cool and expressionless. No more passionate, dazed Karma for him.

  Prometheus waved at the box containing his fucked-up heart. “We’re all set.”

  She nodded briskly. “Good.” Then she slipped into the outer office, likely to unlock the door even though he could have done it with a thought. She probably wanted to get away from him. Cool and collected she may be on the surface, but her energy was all over the place, flaring out then pulling back behind those fucking walls she’d erected again.

  He half-expected her to wait out front for reinforcements, but she returned to her office and strode to take the seat behind her massive desk. He’d always have fond memories of that desk. Even if he wasn’t feeling particularly charitable toward the woman sitting behind it at the moment.

  He folded his arms. “I wouldn’t have done it. Traded you to her.”

  “I don’t want to discuss it.”

  “You see what you want to see Karma. When there is a chance your people might be in trouble, you see the worst-case scenario. When you need a happy moment, you see cuddly babies and everything beautiful. When you’re doubting me, what the fuck did you expect to see?”

  “I wasn’t doubting you.”

  “Weren’t you?”

  They both heard the front door open.

  “They’re here,” Karma said unnecessarily, rising.

  Brittany and Rodriguez entered, Brittany bouncing like Christmas morning and Rodriguez with a wry smile as he watched her enthusiasm. “Who’s ready for a summoning?” she chirped.

  Karma didn’t chirp. “Brittany, I’d like you to go.”

  The secretary visibly deflated. “But I’m good luck.”

  “We’ll have to make our own luck today. I don’t want to risk you. Rodriguez needs to be here, but I don’t want anyone else in range who can be used by this devil.” The way she hit the last two words made Prometheus wonder if she was referring to Deuma or himself. As if he would ever let anything happen to Brittany. She was the only one here who actually gave him credit for being a semi-decent human being.

  Rodriguez’s gaze flicked back and forth between them, reading the currents in the air, but Brittany looked confused. “I guess…” she mumbled.

  “Come on,” Rodriguez urged. “I’ll walk you to the car. Let’s let Mom and Dad fight in peace.”

  Brittany frowned, talking over her shoulder as Rodriguez guided her through the door. “Are you guys fighting? You shouldn’t be fighting. You need only good energy going into the universe right now. Kiss and make up, okay?”

  Prometheus looked to Karma, wondering if Brittany’s words were having any effect, but even the receptionist wasn’t that lucky. She was still the ice queen and he was still frozen out.

  Rodriguez returned and set about getting ready without a word. They had maybe thirty minutes until sunrise.

  Thirty minutes. Twenty years of power, nearly forty of life, and it all came down to thirty minutes. Of all the mistakes he’d made in a long life of pissing people off, the only one he wanted to fix, the only thing that felt wrong was the way things were ending with Karma.

  Fuck that. He wasn’t going to sit on his hands like a good boy and let her cut him off. That wasn’t him.

  Prometheus stalked silently across the room. This wasn’t how they were going to end. He wouldn’t let it be. Karma looked at him with a flash of panic and scrambled to put the width of her desk between them.

  “What are you doing?”

  She would have kept them circling that damn desk all day, but he was faster, more determined, and he didn’t play fair. He slapped up a telekinetic roadblock—just enough to slow her down so he could get his hands on her. “Come here.” He caught her upper arm and pulled her toward the privacy of the outer office, but Karma wasn’t coming easily.

  “Let me go.” She squirmed and dug in her heels, twisting enough to make him seriously consider throwing her over his shoulder—or maybe pulling her across his lap and paddling her ass. She always had to make everything so fucking difficult.

  “Damn it, Karma. I just want to talk to you,” he growled.

  “I have no interest in listening to anything you have to say.”

  Rodriguez muttered something about leaving his favorite crucifix in the lobby and all but ran out of the office, the door snapping shut behind them.

  Her struggles lessened when their audience was gone, but Prometheus didn’t loosen his hold. He didn’t trust Karma not to bolt if he did. Instead, he shifted his grip, grabbing her by both shoulders and walking her backward until she bumped up against the wall.

  She glared up at him, fire beginning to burn through the ice goddess stare. “You’re a bul
ly and a liar and nothing you can say will change any of that, so you might as well save your breath.”

  “I am a bully and a liar and a thousand other things, but I love you.”

  Fuck. Where had that come from? Prometheus gulped, as startled as Karma looked by the words that had popped out of his mouth. No turning back now.

  “I may not be Prince Charming, but I’m it for you and you know it. No one is ever going to get you like I do. I’m going to push you and challenge you and make you crazy and it will be worth it because we’re better together than we could ever be apart. Fuck.” He swore and dropped his forehead onto hers. She hadn’t said a word. Didn’t look capable of speech, actually. “Love sucks, okay? It’s giving the other person a knife and spending every hour of your life waiting for them to stab you in the heart with it. I never wanted that. I never wanted you, but there you were and when you find the person you can’t live without, you don’t let them go. It’s inconvenient and a pain in the ass and we’ll fight—you know we’ll fight—but I’ll also fight for you. I would never let anyone hurt you—not for any price—so don’t you dare think that. Whatever the fuck you saw, that isn’t our future. You’re mine, Karma. And I fucking protect what’s mine.” He conjured the charm he’d made for her, that modified yin-yang, to fall around her neck. “I will always protect you. Is that clear enough for you?”

  Karma blinked up at him, shock and something like panic in her wide eyes. Her fingers rose to brush the soft metal of the charm. She opened her mouth and he held his breath. This was it, the moment when she either saved him or sent him crashing down to hell. “I…”

  “My, my.” The silky feminine purr sounded behind him. “Prometheus in love. I never thought I’d see the day. How sweet.”

  He stiffened and turned, using his body to shield Karma as much as possible as he faced the she-devil across the room. She perched on the crate containing his heart, a snug red dress leaving little to the imagination and showing off the expanse of her crossed legs. She swung one stiletto-clad foot and tapped the top of the box with a long black nail—in perfect time with the accelerating thump of the heart within.